Tom Price: “this motion to recommit offers an effective date for fiscal responsibility. H.R. 249 prohibits the commercial sale of…”

“this motion to recommit offers an effective date for fiscal responsibility. H.R. 249 prohibits the commercial sale of wild horses and burros by the Bureau of Land Management. Implementing this bill will cause the BLM to lose the ability to sell these animals and incur additional costs by requiring it to provide long-term care for the animals that they otherwise would not be required to, thus mandating a new responsibility. Mr. Speaker, according to the CBO report accompanying this bill, it said, based on the information from BLM about the number of animals sold and the cost to care for them, CBO estimates that the resulting net changes in discretionary spending under H.R. 249 would not exceed $500,000 annually, assuming the availability of appropriated funds. However, the Bureau of Land Management spends roughly $25 million a year to feed and shelter 30,000 wild horses in its management program. This motion to recommit will establish an effective date for the legislation, requiring the Secretary to certify to Congress that the long-term care of animals spared by this act will not exceed the cost of $500,000, which is noted in the bill and is the CBO estimate. We all know that the CBO is noted for outrageously poor estimates. The capital gains tax reductions from 2003 to 2006, from 20 to 15 percent, that were enacted, CBO estimated revenue at $197 billion. In fact, Mr. Speaker, $330 billion were gained, an error of 68 percent.”